While taking a Vermont history class in college 15 years ago, Tim Dusablon became fascinated by the famous figures who shaped the state. He began posting about local history on his Facebook account, eventually creating a public page — Crossroads of a Continent — in 2023.
Dusablon, a 39-year-old audio-video technician for the Vermont State Colleges System, used his technological expertise to expand Crossroads of a Continent into a blog and, last year, a podcast. Since then, the Georgia, Vt., resident has produced 19 episodes that cover Vermont narratives from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the French and Indian War.
“I thought it’d just be friends and family who felt sorry for me,” Dusablon said of his listeners. “And now [the podcast] is closing in on 1,000 downloads.”
Dusablon’s latest creation, in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, is a string of “Revolutionary road trips.” On his blog, Dusablon provides interactive maps of historic Revolutionary War landmarks with blurbs about each location; his podcast episodes further explain the significance of each spot. The series highlights history-rich routes through northern Vermont, Addison County and the southern Champlain Valley, among other regions. The stops include battle sites, historic markers and even graveyards where notable figures — such as Adam Beals Jr., a participant in the Boston Tea Party — are buried.
Dusablon said he organized the routes as separate day trips so that visitors have time to learn the history and enjoy the surroundings of each location without feeling rushed. The road trips are designed for “those who live local and don’t want to go to Boston or Philadelphia or New York City for a Revolutionary War site,” he said. “There’s plenty right here.”
Some of the stops on the Revolutionary road trips are meticulously preserved historic sites, such as the Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington, where the leader of the Green Mountain Boys spent his final years. Others are obscure graveyards off dirt roads.
Dusablon said two of his favorite spots are Mount Independence, a well-preserved fortress by Lake Champlain in Orwell; and Fort Ticonderoga, a “majestically rebuilt” site just across the lake in New York.
“Ticonderoga is the crown jewel of the local sites,” Dusablon said. “It’s almost like a castle, and I feel like a little kid every time I go back there.”
To Dusablon, the most interesting part of visiting these places is learning about the personalities involved with each historic event. Specifically, he said, he is fascinated by Benedict Arnold’s story. The major general was known for his heroic contributions to the Revolution in the Northern Theater, an area that included the Champlain Valley. However, his role has been minimized on historic markers because he eventually betrayed the American cause by conspiring with the British. Dusablon is interested in how historical figures such as Arnold are perceived today.
“History is very much in that gray area,” Dusablon said. “The heroes and the villains are often stated after the fact by people with varying objectives.”
With Crossroads of a Continent, Dusablon’s goal is to interest people in local history and inspire them to go out and learn more about the events that happened in the Champlain Valley. He also enjoys the historical research, he said, because it gives him a break from some of the technological frustrations of his day job.
“A history book never needs a firmware update,” he said. ➆
This article appears in July 1 • 2026.
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